The Blog

Lion Guides: Exploring the NYU Area

The Columbia bubble is a beautiful place, but sometimes you just need to get out and explore. While everyone here at the Lion loves Columbia Blue, sometimes a little NYU purple is exactly what you need when that bubble gets claustrophobic.

Transportation:

First , before you can explore NYU, you have to know how to get there. As NYU does not have a campus, different areas of the university are closer to different subway stations, so knowing where exactly you want to go can be helpful for saving time. There are four main stops near the NYU area:

Astor Place

A stop on the 6 train, Astor Place is the closest station to the Tisch School of the Arts. It is, however, a bit of a hassle to get to from Columbia. If you’re up for the challenge, though, you can take the downtown 1 from Columbia to Times Square-42nd St. (or you can take the express 2 or 3 there by switching at 96th). Then, at Times Square, you can transfer to the downtown/Brooklyn-bound N, Q, R, or W trains and take that to 14th St.-Union Sq. There, you can finally catch the downtown/Brooklyn-bound 6 to Astor Place.

8th St.-NYU

Located off the NE corner of Washington Square Park, the 8th St.-NYU station is very close to Astor Place and is much easier to get to. To get to this stop, you can take the downtown 1 from Columbia to Times Square-42nd St (or you can take the express 2 or 3 there by switching at 96th). Then, once you’re at Times Square, you transfer to the downtown/Brooklyn-bound W or R and get off at 8th St.-NYU. Easy-peasy!

W 4th St.

Located off the SW corner of Washington Square Park, W 4th St. is the NYU stop for the A, C, E, B, D, F, and M trains. To get here from Columbia, you take the 1 downtown to Columbus Circle-59th St., where you can then transfer to the downtown A, B, C or D, which takes you to W 4th. Then, ta-da! You’re in the land of the purple!

Christopher St.

The station that involves the least amount of transfers to get to, Christopher St. is located directly off the 1. Simply take it downtown from Columbia, and you’ll get there eventually. The 1 is local, though, so do take some class readings with you to get done on the train. You can always transfer to the 2 or 3 if you’d rather go express, but you have to remember to transfer back to the 1 at 14th St. so you can arrive at Christopher St.

Local Events:

Since NYU is located around Washington Square Park, there are often many things happening in this area. From parades to markets to protests, there is always something new to see or do. Facebook is often a great resource for finding out about these events, especially the unofficial ones. For sponsored events, though, you can check out these sites:

Making the trek to Greenwich Village can be taxing, which means sustenance is essential for making it back to Morningside Heights. Depending on your budget, there are different food options available to you

Cheap Eats:

Papaya Dog is a great option if you’re in the mood for greasy food, and it’s cheap if you’re worried about not having enough money to buy textbooks next semester. Their hot dogs and fries will satisfy your craving for a midnight snack, especially since they’re open until 3 am.

Located by the W 4 station, Anton’s Dumplings are just like Grandma’s according to the New York Times. And if you’re a fan of Broadway, they’ve even got a special menu based off of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

The Traditional Chinese Food Cart often parks itself near Bobst to feed the many hungry NYU students who have classes nearby. Known for their fried rice, they offer large portions for affordable prices, but make sure you have cash on hand because they don’t accept credit or debit cards.

Highly praised by various publications, NY Dosas will satisfy your hunger with its vegan creations. Make sure to check this food cart’s Facebook and Twitter, though, to see if it’s in the area before you go.

While you can also get this filling meal near Columbia, you can never go wrong with halal. There are quite a few places to get halal around NYU, but if you’re near W 4, Sammy’s Halal is critically acclaimed for their food.

If you’ve got friends who go to NYU, you can always mooch off their meal plan. It’s by far the cheapest way to eat, and their meal swipes can get you a chicken sandwich or an eight count of nuggets with fries and a drink at Chick-fil-a.

Not too cheap, not too expensive:

With relatively cheap ribs and other BBQ classics for sale, Mighty Quinn’s BBQ is closest to the Astor Place stop, but it’s worth the walk no matter what part of NYU you’re in.

A cute date spot, La Lanterna di Vittorio not only has outstanding lasagna but also sells pie that is to die for. If you’re feeling particularly indulgent, the hot chocolate with marshmallows can warm the coldest of hands and hearts.

Sick of waiting in line at Shake Shack but still want a good burger? Burger Joint is a small local chain with a shop near NYU that will fulfill your greasiest dreams with their burgers and fries.

Hungry, but only want snack food? Pommes Frites is for you. With authentic Belgian fries, large portions, and an extensive list of sauces, this food is worth the prices.

1 AM on a Saturday night and craving chicken tenders? Stop by Sticky’s Finger Joint! This spot on W 8th St. will hit the spot with their hearty tenders and gimmicky sauces.

Quality Dining:

Run by Mario Batali, one of the most famous chefs around, Babbo has Italian food that’s out of this world, and the Michelin star to prove it. The prices are steep, though, so save up before going.

Also nearby and with a Michelin star is Blue Hill. If you don’t want to eat extremely early or late, though, be sure to book far in advance as reservations fill up quickly.

A recent addition to the Michelin guide, Sushi Zo offers impressive Japanese food. Bound to only get more popular with its recent reviews, it’s probably smart to go here sooner rather than later.

Coffee:

Want to keep getting hole punches in your Joe Coffee rewards card? Have no fear, there are multiple Joe Coffee shops by NYU as well! (West Village and Washington Square) The West Village storefront is small, however, so don’t count on finding a spot to camp out and get work done in.

An Indonesian Cafe and Ramen Bar, Kopi Kopi has some of the smoothest blends around. Don’t fall victim to the Dunkin Donuts located nearby; this place by far has better snacks and coffee to reinvigorate you.

La Colombe is one of the country’s largest independent coffee roasters, and their coffee doesn’t disappoint. Their shop in NoHo is a great place to stop before or after seeing a show at The Public, the theater which was home to Hamilton’s off-Broadway run.

Located off Mercer St. and W 3rd St., Think Coffee is small NYC chain of coffee shops which provides ethically and sustainably sourced coffee to its customers. It also provides a great place to study if you want to get off campus as they have free wifi.

Other Things to Do:

Close to Noho and Soho, the NYU area is a great place to shop. It might take a bit of walk to get to the stores, though, so if it’s cold, you might want to use Google Maps to see what subway stop is closest to the stores you want to visit.

Located near W 4th subway station, the IFC Center is one of the best places to go see independent films. On Fridays and Saturdays, they host Waverly Midnights, where they screen cult movies at midnight (as the name suggests), and they also show classic movies at 11 AM Fridays through Sundays.

Right off Washington Square Park is Uncommon Goods, a game cafe that hosts one of the largest collections of games on the East Coast. Open 363 days a year, this spot is always available for a late night game of Cards Against Humanity with friends. It’s $5 per person to play as many games as you want ($10 on weekends and holidays), and they’ve also got drinks, snacks, and coffee to keep you going.

Want to see a play or musical but don’t have the money to see something on Broadway? Have no fear, Off-Broadway theater is here! There’s plenty of shows you can see for as cheap as $15 at plenty of different venues! There’s the Gym at Judson, which was home to the New York Times Critics’ Pick Bedlam’s Sense and Sensibility; Under St. Marks, located in the East Village in a small basement which will make you feel like a theater nerd; Dixon Place, which not only hosts theater productions but also dance shows, literary events, and music performances; and Barrow Street Theatre, which starting February 14 will be putting on a production of Sweeney Todd coming straight from London.